Hourglass
by yl2000wc
Summary: After a horrible accident, Hiyori dies, only for Yato to turn her into a Shinki. However, she had no recollection of them, or of her life at all. Completely devastated, Yato and Yukine set out to find Kokuzo, the god of memory. However, he has not been seen for a long time, and is only a myth, a song, a teardrop in wild waters...
1. Pyromanical

_You who would desecrate this land of the rising sun…_

Yato deftly slashed through the ayakashi, closing his eyes as it exploded and blazed into a brilliant white supernova. He lightly stepped out onto the gray pavement, the empty street lit by twilight. He stood up straight and grinned. Twirling his swords around, he held them in front of him.

"Yukine."

The icy silver blades glowed and flew out of his hands. A young boy shook out his head and looked over to the side at Yato. His frame glowed softly for a minute before fading back into him. "That wasn't that hard, was it?" He rolled his shoulders and stretched.

Yato grinned and gave him a thumbs up. "Not at all! We're getting good at this! Soon we'll definitely be a super cool duo! Just think…" He trailed off. Yukine could practically see the invisible crown hovering above his head and the imaginary gold coins raining from nowhere.

He mentally facepalmed. "Oh, come on...What are you thinking of?! You're just a small-fry god who can't even get an official shrine! You don't even make money for yourself!" He crossed his arms and exasperatedly looked at the god.

Yato looked to the side and his face turned a little red. "Y-yeah well...that's just 'cause…"

"Yato! Yukine!" A young girl wearing a pink scarf rounded the corner and frantically waved at them, a look of relief on her face.

Oh, hey Hiyori!" Yato waved enthusiastically.

Yukine sighed and let it slide. _It's not like it's the first time he's gotten caught in his fantasies..._ "Hi, Hiyori. What's going on?" He looked up and blushed a little.

She stopped to take a breath, putting her hands on her knees "Just saw the ayakashi and came running to see if you guys were alright. Ahaha...I was worrying for nothing, of course." She stood up and rubbed her head sheepishly.

Yato grinned at her. "Course you were!" He held up a peace sign and slung an arm around the irritated Yukine. "That's cuz me and Yukin-"

"A-anyways, Hiyori, why don't you stop by Kofuku's with us? You can have dinner there too." Yukine quickly pushed Yato away and looked up shyly at Hiyori, flushing red a little.

Hiyori stared at them curiously for a minute, but smiled. "Sure, why not?"

* * *

"Thanks for the meal!"

Kofuku smiled widely "Not a problem~! Have as much as you want!" She toddled around the bright room, clearly ecstatic to have so many people over.

Her shinki, however, glared at the vagrant god across from him. "Tch...they're always here these days! Don't you guys have somewhere to go?!"

Yato looked up from his gorging for a minute and gave Daikoku a look. "What, got a problem with us being here?" He said through a mouthful food

"Oh, I don't know, maybe you can start doing something, you freeloader!" ("Nya~Don't a meanie, Daikky!") He leaned over the table to get closer.

Yato leaned closer too. "Yeah? Well-"

Hiyori quickly cut between them. "Yato's just a little out of it. ("H-hey!") He drank a little when you guys made dinner, so you can just ignore him." She whacked Yato hard on the head.

Kofuku laughed heartily and waved it off, nearly sending the chicken on her fork flying. "No, no. it's quite alright! Yatty's just like that sometimes!"

Hiyori smiled and looked out the open door to see the garden. "But it is true, they're always around here…" She thought for a minute. "If it really bothers you two, they can stay over at my house tonight...wha-no, not like that!" She quickly withdrew her statement from the gleaming Kofuku. "W-we just have plenty of empty rooms for them to stay at if you guys need a break, that's all!" She turned red at Kofuku's thoughts.

Daikoku wrapped an arm around his master and replied before anyone else could add to the conversation. "That would be splendid. Thanks, Hiyori." He shot Yato a triumphant look. "Hmph." He muttered something before returning to his food.

Yato hmph'd back. "Old geezers these days" He shook his head mournfully.

"What was that, you bastard?!"

* * *

"Ah~ It's been a while since we've been at Hiyori's place!" Yato flopped down on the soft bed. Hiyori had snuck them in and lent them the room next to hers for them to stay in for the night. It was rather empty, with just a closet and a desk, but it had two separate beds, and they really couldn't complain about it. "Dontcha think so?" Yukine didn't reply, but was staring off into space. Yato tilted his head and stared at him. "...Hey, Yukine?"

"Wha-Oh, sorry, what was that?"

"Do you get the feeling…" Yato rolled over to look at the ceiling. "...Something feels a bit off today."

Yukine thought for a minute. "Hm...nothing was really out of the ordinary. I don't really feel it..."

"Mm...really now?"

"Yeah, why? Is there something bothering you?" Yukine rolled over to look at him, but Yato was already fast asleep. He shook his head and looked up at the ceiling. "Or not…"

* * *

_"Smells...good…"_

Hiyori awoke and sat up in her bed. Wh-what the heck…? What time is it…She drearily rubbed her eyes and looked at the clock. It's three in the morning what could hav-

**_"SmE-eLLs...goOd…"_**

She froze.

_Oh._

_I see._

She quietly slipped out of her room into the dark hallway and made her way to where Yato and Yukine were. She shivered as the ayakashis cried louder and louder, each moan echoing around the corridor. Because she knew she really couldn't stand much against one, not to mention it was scarily dangerous to be going in and out of her body in the first place _(If the stupid Yato would just find a way…)_, she was honestly rather terrified of ayakashi. She raised her trembling hand and knocked very quietly on the room Yato and Yukine were staying at before letting herself in. "Hey, guys…?"

On a second glance, she could tell they were both completely stoned. She let out a sigh. _Well, they're not waking up, so I guess it's okay…_

**_"NoTHhiNg's EveR oKAy."_**

Hiyori flinched at the wail of the ayakashi. "Urgh...I-I guess I could just stay in here for tonight." She whispered to herself as she sidled into the room and slowly closed the door.

"Hiyori?"

She nearly jumped out of her body. "A-ah! Sorry for intruding…"

Yato sat up in the bed. "Nah, it's fine. You heard it too?"

"Yes, but where…?"

He shook his head and rubbed his temple. "It's nearby. I can't pinpoint where it is but...it's definitely nearby. It probably won't bother us, so I'll deal with it tomorrow." His blue eyes pierced the darkness, searching.

Hiyori shivered. "In that case...Is it okay if I stay here?"

Yato blinked. "Well, yeah sure, why not?"

"W-well, because, well...oh, nevermind." She curled up and drew her legs closer to her. "Good night."

…

Yato cleared his throat. "You…"

Hiyori looked up. "?"

"You...plan on sleeping...like _that?_" He pointed at Hiyori, who was curled up against the wall hugging a pillow she had stolen from Yukine's bed. He mentally shook his head, the image didn't really fit right.

She cocked her head. "There's not another bed around so…"

Yato scoffed. "Don't be daft. There's one right here."

_What...?_ Hiyori blinked. "Y-yeah, but you're using it. It's fine to sleep like this, and besides, it's just for one night."

Yato gave her a look. "Yeah, but...no. It's your house anyways, you shouldn't be sleeping on the floor. Come on, get in." He sidled over to the wall side of the bed and patted the space beside him.

"N-No! Really, I'm fine here!" Hiyori managed to keep her voice down, although she was panicking. _He really doesn't get it, does he…_She sighed. "It's not that big of a deal, Yato."

Yato groaned and got out of the bed, making his way over to Hiyori. He grabbed her by the hand and walked her over to the bed. "Just use the bed, Hiyori. I need to go out for a minute anyways." He threw the blanket over her and glanced at her once before turning away. Hiyori tried to get a look at his expression, but it was too dark.

She was torn. _Ah...but…_"W-Wait...Yato."

He angled his head to look at her. "Yeah?"

"..." She shifted on the bed "If you're really going to insist on letting me have the bed, then I guess we...we can share it…" She scooched over to the wall and looked away.

Yato sighed. "If that's how it going to play out, don't make such a big deal out of it, Hiyori." The sheets shifted a little and the bed creaked slightly as he got in. Hiyori tensed, her face scarlet red. Hiyori squeezed her eyes shut and turned around to stare at the wall. _You..._She quietly facepalmed. _I really am making a big deal out of it._ She blinked several times at the blank wall some more, thinking about the day. Although it had been several months since her accident, she really still wasn't used to interacting with gods.

**_"SMellS gOoD"_**

Hiyori's thoughts stopped and she tensed. She shut her eyes and drew the blankets in a little closer. _It's gonna be a long night…_

"Hiyori?" Yato lightly touched her on the arm.

"A-ah, yes?"

"There's nothing to worry about, you know." He tugged on Hiyori's arm to turn her around to face him. "Really. Me and Yukine will always be there for you, so don't be so scared." His face was serious.

Hiyori turned a little pink. "Th-thanks, Yato." She smiled a little and relaxed.

Yato let out a sigh of relief and moved in a little closer. "It's fine." He wrapped one arm around Hiyori's shoulders protectively and closed his eyes. Her head rested against his chest, and she could feel the edge of his chin on top of her head. Hiyori drowsily closed her eyes and buried her face in his shirt. _He...as usual, he smells...very nice._

Hiyori flushed and tried to untangle herself, but Yato was already fast asleep, and she really didn't want to wake him up again. She briefly contemplated her situation before groaning quietly and settling down. _Ah...I guess it's okay...and he's pretty warm..._She closed her eyes.

* * *

"Ah...Agh!"

Hiyori's eyes shot open. "Yukine…?" She looked up and unsuccessfully tried to look over Yato.

"Yato...Yato!" She shook him a little.

"Mm...Yeah?" His cat-like eyes opened slowly to look at her.

"Yukine...He…" Hiyori gently lifted Yato's arm and look over him. "Yukine!" She gasped. Yukine was covered in patches of maroon. Yato turned over to see what was the problem and his eyes widened. He quickly shot out of bed and rolled Yukine over.

"Ah...Ya...to…?" Yukine's face was also in the same state, but even more alarming, his usually red name imprinted on his collarbone was slowly turning gray. His breathing was labored, and the maroon was clearly spreading rapidly around his body.

"Yato, what…" Hiyori sat down next to him.

"It's a very rare ayakashi poison. It'll slowly drain him until he fades away."

"How...how do we cure him?"

"We'll need purified water, a God, Shinki, and...well, an ayakashi."

"An ayakashi? How do we do that?"

"..." Yato looked at her desperately. "I...I don't know." He looked away and stood up. "First of all, let's get a shinki and holy water. We'll figure out how to get an ayakashi somehow." He shrugged on his jacket, which had been lying over the chair by the desk. He turned steely eyes on Yukine, and then Hiyori. "Come on, let's go."

Hiyori nodded and looked up, then gasped. She quickly grabbed his hand and tugged on his jersey, rising up. "But...Yato…" She leaned in close and lightly touched his face. "You…"

"What?" Yato searched her frantic eyes. "What happened?"

"...Yato, you have it too." His face tensed and he quickly grabbed her hand, ripping it away.

"Ow, Yato, what-"

At that moment, she felt a stab in her hand that was on his cheek and slowly raised it.

There, in the center, was a small spot of scarlet.

* * *

"Kofuku! Kofuku!"

"Ye~es? Ah! Hiyori, what's-" She stopped. "Wha-" She took a step to see what was wrong.

"N-no! Don't come too close. it might get on you too!" Hiyori's face was spotted with blazing red spots, and she stumbled away from the house. She tripped and fell onto the hard cobblestone, scratching her hands.

"Is that...Achlys?" She tentatively reached out a hand to Hiyori's gasping figure.

Daikoku caught it and quietly shook his head. "How bad is it?" he murmured to Hiyori. He wouldn't meet her gaze, but instead stared at the nearby bonsai.

"Pretty bad...Yukine's almost covered and Yato can barely stand...Please! We need to help them!"

"Of course we will! But…"

Hiyori saw the uncertainty in Kofuku's eyes. "Ah...the ayakashi…"

She nodded and looked away. "Y-You see, the process works by moving the poison to a different entity, one that either serves as a scapegoat or has a counter to the poison. But...one's never subdued a ayakashi before, u-unless…" She trailed off. She didn't need to say anymore. It couldn't be done.

Hiyori could feel her blood running cold. "But...but then…there's nothing we can do, then!" Her head spun dizzily, and she slumped to the floor. _This can't be happening. No way. Yato and Yukine and…_

"H-Hiyori!" Daikoku pulled Kofuku away. "I…" She stopped.

Daikoku turned away. "I'm sorry, Hiyori, but...there's really nothing we can do in this situation..." He spared one last glance at her before losing it and stumbling back into the house.

"If only…" Kofuku's voice cracked and she turned away. She slowly made her way onto the steps and sat down.

Hiyori forced out a smile. _And to think everything was completely normal yesterday..._ "It's okay, Kofuku. I still have the afterlife ahea-" She stopped.

…

"Hey, Kofuku?" Hiyori whispered.

"Yes, Hiyori?" Kofuku said in an equally soft tone.

"Does it have to be an ayakashi? I mean, as the like, 'sacrifice?'"

"Well, technically, it could be any kind of spirit...but it's unrealistic to think of using anything but an ayakashi…"

"Kofuku…" Hiyori looked down at her red, bloody hands, and the even redder poison creeping up her wrists. _Ah, I see._ She softly laughed to herself. _This is how it's supposed to be..._

"H-Hiyori?"

"Use me instead."

* * *

Yay, first chapter! Hey guys, it's y2k here. It's my first Noragami fanfiction (and the only FF I have posted currently orz;) so please be easy with the reviews! I'm not very good at writing fluffy things, as that's generally not the kind of person I am but...y-you know... \\\\

S-so anyways! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please leave a review for what I can do better, I'd really, really appreciate it~

Just to clear things up, the title, Pyromanical was just something I thought was decently nice for a title, and also because the poison spreads rapidly and hits _hard_. There's really not much to it, but I wanted to clear things up. Also, when Kofuku asks if it's "Achlys," that's the name I gave the poison. Achlys is the god of poison, I believe, in Greek mythology, and besides, it sounds cool (Better than Nessus, anyways...)

So anywoozles, that's all for now, if you guys have any questions about the story, please PM me. I'll consider any suggestions you guys give, but I will not guarantee that they will actually make it into the story. See you guys in the next chapter!

Noragami absolutely positively DOES NOT belong to me-I'm not cool enough to come up with something like that.


	2. Retrospective

Yato gasped and sat straight up in the bed, only to crack his neck. _Ouch! What..._He stopped. _Right...the poison! I was infected, and Yukine and Hiyori...But…_ He raised a hand. _I'm cured? How…?_ He put his hand down. _Must have been Hiyori and Kofuku...again..._He sighed. He was _always _getting his ass saved by them. He slumped back into the pillow. There was really nothing to do but wait for someone to check on him. He studied the room. It was a light pink, with flowery stickers pasted all over the walls and even ceiling. To the corner was a cabinet and desk, and there was a door facing him, which led, he assumed, to the living room. Another door stood agape to his left, which could be clearly identified as a bathroom. And…

"Ah, Yukine…" Yato had only just taken notice of the young boy sleeping next to him. _The Achlys is gone,_ he observed with a relieved sigh. _Did Hiyori ask Kofuku to…? _"Hiyori!" He scrambled out of bed. _I remember she had it too, but she's not with us right now...did Kofuku put her somewhere else?_ He walked a few steps towards the closed door. _Ah-_He stumbled and fell. _Fuck, what the he-_

"Ah, Yato! Don't move around yet, you dummy! You're still really weak..." Kofuku burst into the room and sat him up, leaning him against the wall, immediately beginning to worry about him. "Are you alright? You don't have any more Achlys, do you?" She patted his forehead and babbled. "I'm sure we cleaned it all up. Ah, well, you kinda wouldn't be alive right now if you still had it, ahah-"

"Hiyori."

Kofuku froze, her hand suddenly stiff on his shoulder. "What?"

Yato grabbed it and stared into Kofuku's dark blue eyes. "Where's Hiyori? Didn't she have it too? Did you cure her?"

"Oh...Y-Yeah!" Kofuku smiled at him brightly, gently taking his hand and setting it down. "She's currently resting in a different room, and her poison was really bad, so it might be awhile until she gets...better…" Her voice grew smaller and smaller. "You should stay here for now though until you and Yukine are fully recovered. You two were really on the brink of death, you know? It was really scary…" She trailed off again. "A-Anyways! You must be hungry, you were out for an entire week! I'll go get you some food." She smiled again and patted his head before rushing away, almost slamming the door behind her.

Yato stared at the door. _Kofuku..._Was it just him, or was Kofuku really pale? _Did she get infected too?_ Ah, he would have to apologize for that later then. He stared out the window next to his bed looking out over the front garden. It was spring, and the sakura Kofuku had planted were in full bloom-

He stopped. _The sakura..._On the bark, a word could be made out in red. Yato was too far to read it clearly, but he squinted at it. _Mm...Nope, can't see it._ He rubbed his eyes and continued. Next to the blooming sakura, there were also many different flowers and bushes, not to mention bonsai trees. His eyes trailed over to the little koi pond at the very edge of the garden. He flinched away from the window.

_Nora._

The petite girl was squatting by the pond, swirling her finger in the pond. She turned around and met Yato's stare. She smiled sweetly and said-

"_How sad, the little cat that lost it's way."_

"What?" Yato reached forward to press his hand onto the glass. "What are you-"

She was gone.

* * *

Kofuku leaned against the door, her nails digging into her palm. She gritted her teeth and sunk down to the floor, her face and head covered by her hands.

"_Wh-what are you saying, Hiyori? You know it would kill you!" Kofuku cried._

_Hiyori smiled softly. "Yeah, it will...but I'm already going to die, aren't I?" She lay down on the cobblestone and raised her right hand to the sky, the maroon blossoming over her hand. "It'll be better if only I died, instead of all three of us. I still have the afterlife to look to, but they have nothing at all, since they're already dead. Yato won't be reborn because he's such an unknown god, so they'll just fade away. If so…" She turned her head to look at Kofuku. "I'd rather I die instead of them-or for them." Her face was solemn._

_Kofuku stared at the girl. Although she hated to admit it, Hiyori was...right. "D...Daikky?" She called out to her shinki with a trembling voice._

"_...What is it, Kofuku?"_

"_We...We have a vessel."_

_Daikoku emerged from the house holding a bottle of beer. "Where?" His eyes wandered around the courtyard, searching everything but Hiyori's figure._

_Hiyori pulled herself off the ground, staggering, and stood as straight as she could. "M-Me." Her voice was raspy and weak, but there was steel in her eyes. "I'm the vessel."_

_Daikoku nearly dropped his beer. "Wha-"_

_Kofuku grabbed his arm to stop him from saying more. "Daikky...You know she's right."_

_Daikoku was silent. "Gh…"_

…

_Hiyori broke the silence. "We...We need to start it. Come on, we need to get to Yukine and Yato-" She took one step and collapsed._

"_Hiyori!" Kofuku ran to her, but her hand hovered inches away from her skin. "You stay here, we'll go get them."_

"_But-"_

_Kofuku looked at Hiyori, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Please, Hiyori. You don't need to do anymore for us-for them."_

_Hiyori wouldn't look up,. "...A-Alright... Get them fast, and...be safe." She lay her head down, covering her face with her arm._

"Kofuku?"

Kofuku jumped to her feet. "A-ah…"

Yato stood in the doorway, his slim frame leaning against the side. He tilted his head curiously. "Didn't you go to get food? What are you still doing here?"

"Oh, I…" Kofuku still couldn't look him in the eye. "I got a little tired, and I was worried about you guys, so I guess I just kinda sat down and spaced out…" She forced out another smile. "Sorry, sorry, that was pretty bad of me. Go back in, I'll go get the food now." She shooed Yato back into the room and rushed away.

She ran all the way to the kitchen. Daikoku looked up from the breakfast he had made. "Kofuku?" She stood at the front of the kitchen, her hair messed up from the wind, her tie slightly askew. Her desperate eyes honed onto him. "Kofuku, are you oka-"

She shook her head roughly and practically tackled him. "I can't, Daikky, I can't!" Her cries were muffled in his shirt. "What do I do?! What do I tell them?! I can barely look at them without completely breaking! Hiyori...Hiyori's dead! _Dead!_ What...what…"

"What _can_ I do?"

* * *

"_Hiyori...Hiyori, wake up, please!"_

_She opened her eyes. "Ah...Kofuku?" Her eyesight was blurry, but she could make out a pink mess of hair._

"_...Yeah, it's me. We got Yato and Yukine. They're not doing too well, but…"_

"_Alright then. Let's hurry." Hiyori could barely see, but she placed her palms against the cold stone and pushed herself up, ignoring the searing pain coursing through her body. "We...need to...hurry…" She leaned against a nearby sakura._

_Kofuku started to say something, but Daikoku stopped her. "Alright then. Hiyori, you can stay where you are, we'll make the necessary preparations." She nodded, but still forced herself to stay upright._

_Daikoku nodded at Kofuku. They split up, Daikoku walking over to where Yato and Yukine were, Kofuku to Hiyori. "This might hurt a little, please bear with it." Kofuku whispered to Hiyori. She nodded and tensed. Kofuku took out a long thin dagger and sliced Hiyori's palm with a trembling hand. She hissed. "It's covered in holy water, so please…" Kofuku gripped Hiyori's wrist tightly. Hiyori gritted her teeth against the blazing pain and nodded. Kofuku gently took her hand and let some blood drip into a small bowl. She then carefully wrapped up Hiyori's hand and turned back to Daikoku, who had done the same with Yato and Yukine. They switched around so Kofuku was with Yato and Yukine. Dipping one finger into the blood, she wrote a word on the ground in between them._

_Purify_

_One the other side, Daikoku dipped his fingers into Yato and Yukine's blood and wrote on the cherry tree._

_Condemn_

_Daikoku mentally winced as he wrote the word. It wasn't really condemning because, well, it was Hiyori's sacrifice. It felt wrong to write "Condemn" like that. Daikoku hesitated. After some contemplation, he shook his head and changed it._

_Gift_

_He balled his hand up, forcing himself not to punch the tree. He looked down at the gasping Hiyori. "I...I'm sorry it turned out this way, Hiyori."_

_Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled weakly. "It's...not your fault. Thanks for doing this." Her voice was barely audible._

_Daikoku clenched his jaw and jerkily nodded before abruptly turning away. "...You idiot…" He whispered._

"_Thank you."_

* * *

Yato lay on the bed, hands behind his head, thinking about what had happened. Although he had been thinking for well over an hour (Kofuku still late with the food…) he couldn't make any sense of it. _And what were the words on the tree?_ He would have to check it out when he got better. _And Nora...what did she say again? The little cat that lost it's wa-_

A knock was heard on the door. "Come in!" Yato painstakingly sat up.

Kofuku cautiously shuffled in, tray in hand. "Sorry, Yato, I got a little sidetracked again…" She carried a bowl of miso soup and steamed buns. "I'll set these here, you might want to eat before they get cold though." She carefully avoided meeting his eyes, although his searched her face carefully.

"...Kofuku, have you been crying?"

Kofuku nearly spilled the soup. "N-no, why?"

Yato sized her up for a minute, then turned away. "No matter."

Kofuku was silent. "...Alright then. I'll take my leave. If you need anything, just yell, okay?"

"Gotcha."

He watched her leave, closing the door softly behind her. _No doubt about it...she's definitely upset about something…_ He thought as he ravenously chomped into a bun. _But...what?_

Beside him, Yukine stirred. "Hi...yori…?"

Yato started and turned around to stare at Yukine, but after a minute his gaze on the young boy softened. "Yeah, I worry about her too," he said softly. He looked out at the marked sakura. _I wonder...How's she's doing right now..._

* * *

"_...Hiyori?" Kofuku lifted the top part of her body off the floor. "Hiyori?!" She desperately crawled over to her crumpled form, ignoring the pain that shot up her left leg. "Hiyori, please…" She shook Hiyori's body. Even at a glance, one could tell the poison in her body had risen dramatically. "Please…!"_

_Hiyori opened her eyes, her usual pink irises stained with red. "Did...did it work?"_

_Kofuku nearly sobbed with temporary relief. "Yes, yes! They're all better now, they won't die. Hiyori...you…"_

_Hiyori's eyes closed again. "Ah...so they're okay now. That's good."_

…

"_Kofuku?"_

"_What is it, Hiyori?"_

"_I want to ask of you…"_

"_Anything you want."_

"_When I die...where do I go?"_

_Kofuku flinched at the question. "You…" Her throat locked. _

_Hiyori noticed and chuckled hoarsely. "Ah, that's okay." She turned over on her back. "I'll know soon enough." She looked at the upcoming sun. "Wow, so pretty."_

_Kofuku nodded. "It's beautiful."_

"_Kofuku?"_

"_?"_

"_Make sure to take care of them when I'm...away, alright? Make sure they don't do anything stupid, don't get into fights, everything. And also, they fight sometimes, but don't stop those, it's just their way of getting closer. Yukine's also scared of the dark, so don't ever leave him alone. And Yato doesn't like to be alone either, even if he says otherwise, so don't listen to what he says, he's just trying to be tough. And als-"_

"_Hiyori." Kofuku whispered. "It's okay, Hiyori. You've done enough, really. You saved them, Hiyori, you did!" Her voice faltered. "I promise I'll look over them the best I can. I promise."_

"_Ah...alright then...Thank you, Kofuku." Her scarlet stained hand reached out to Kofuku. "Thank you so much…"_

"_No, Hiyori." Kofuku grasped the hand tightly. "It wasn't me at all." She gripped it until her knuckles turned white, as if she could stop the warmth and strength from seeping out. "It isn't me who deserves better."_

"_It's you, Hiyori."_

* * *

Guys please don't kill me QAQ

So, y2k here! I was torn over whether I should add more to this chapter, but the next "section" was gonna be decently long, so I decided to save it for the next chapter. As usual, any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated (For everyone who left a review last chapter, I tried to incorporate as much as I could this round!) and I hope you enjoyed reading this story! I know the story is a little hard to follow in this chapter, because it constantly switches from past to present and back again, so if I need to change that, just say so (This format is also the reason for the title.) It basically just focuses on what happened after the last chapter, but I wanted to keep the story going, and incorporate some other things too, so...yeah.

Anyways, hope you liked the chapter, if you have any questions, please leave a review (even if you don't have one, do so anyways!), and have a good one!

Noragami does not belong to me.


	3. Crossroads

"_Yato, go."_

"No! What's that supposed to mean?" Yato stepped closer to the wall of fire. "What do you mean, 'In the end?' Hiyori!"

"_...Sorry, Yato."_

"For what?! Hiyori, what are you-"

"_Thank you."_

* * *

_Have you seen the little cat?_

He looked around frantically for nothing, blue eyes searching the darkness. The digital clock on the nightstand glowed red. _2:48..._He sat up. _What...what did I dream…?_ He raised a hand to his forehead. _I don't…_ He shook his head. He was definitely missing something, but he couldn't tell what. He stared out the window. The moonlight had turned the sakura blossoms white under the light, and the water only reflected it back. He frowned deeply. He couldn't remember a single thing from his dream.

Yukine gasped and curled up on the bed beside him. "Ah…"

"Yukine…!" He reached out a hand to the shadowy figure. Did he still have the Achlys? Did he get sick again? He needs to get to Kofuku quickly then...

"_Hiyori"_

He froze at the whisper. _Hiyori..._His arm dropped. _Was that…_

His thoughts were interrupted by Kofuku, who quietly came in and kneeled by Yukine's bed. She lay her head down and whispered softly to herself. Yato felt himself go cold when he heard her.

"_I'm so sorry."_

Yato sat up, bewildered. "Kofuku...what…" He reached out a hand.

She jumped when she saw Yato was awake. "A-ah! Yato! You're awake?" She edged away and hurriedly started towards the door.

Yato grabbed her wrist. "Yeah, I am. Was there something you needed?" _Or something you need to say…?_ His eyes narrowed slightly.

"N-No! I was just checking if you guys were alright, but I see it's okay…" She gently pried his fingers off and walked towards the door. "Get some sleep, okay?" She smiled and started to close the door.

"Wait."

"Yes?"

"I...You…" He blanked. He had so much he wanted to ask, but all of a sudden, none of them seemed more important than her. "Hiyori...How is she doing?"

Kofuku stiffened. "She's...fine. But I wouldn't suggest seeing her yet, her condition's a little...unstable." She looked down "Maybe when you get better I can…" She jumped when she realized she was talking out loud. "S-Sorry! I'll leave you be!" She closed the door with a loud bang.

Yato didn't stop her, but stared at the shut door for a long time, as if trying to stare a hole through it. He finally closed them and sighed, flopping down onto the bed. _Kofuku…_

_What could you possibly be hiding from me?_

* * *

Kofuku shuffled down to the kitchen drearily the next morning. She hadn't gotten any sleep at all, thinking about Yato and his hopeful puppy look when he asked about Hiyori. Lying to Yato had practically become a routine since he had woken up 2 and a half weeks ago, and she really didn't have it in her to cry anymore. He asked about _her_ every time he saw Kofuku, and it _killed_ her. _But…_ She thought as she walked into the kitchen. _Hiyori is…_

A glowing, pink cat poked its head out from where it was resting beneath the table. It mewed at Kofuku and it's crimson pink eyes looked at her expectantly. Its violet tipped split tail waved from side to side lazily and the feathery wings on its back rustled. Kofuku chuckled softly. "Alright, alright." She reached up to get a can of sardines. "Ah…" She waved her hand a little, but she couldn't reach. "Hm…" Her hand fell down to her side and she turned to get a chair.

And promptly crashed into Daikoku. "Here." He reached up and easily got the can, handing it to her. "A-hey, Kofuku, are you alright?"

She had spaced out. Daikoku watched her worriedly. He had come to realize that spacing out was Kofuku's new way of venting out pain instead of crying. "Kofuku…" He reached over and took her hand, firmly placing the can in her palm.

Her eyes snapped back. "Oh, thank you, Daikoku."

He didn't let go. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "I just...What are we going to do about Hiyori?"

He nodded slowly. "Her spirit showed up almost immediately after she died, didn't it? She must be waiting for something-someone." He let go of the can. "Maybe…"

"Yes, but more importantly, we can't just keep her in spirit form!" She stole a glance at the cat, who was busy trying to catch it's own tail. "She'll easily be taken over by…" She trailed off. Even thinking of Hiyori being possessed brought the Achlys to mind. She looked up at Daikoku. "We'll...need to tell Yato soon, I think."

"_Tell me what?"_

Yato leaned on the doorframe, panting heavily.

Kofuku leaped up and swiftly slid the can of sardines away. "Y-Yato! When did you get here?"

"I thought I would walk around a little for practice. So what did you need to tell me?"

"I…" Kofuku started talking but her throat closed. "Hiyori…"

Daikoku put a finger to her lips and shook his head. He gave Yato a long look and pointed to something on the ground. Yato looked down.

The cat had curled up and had fallen asleep on his feet.

* * *

"So you're telling me Hiyori is dead."

Kofuku nodded for the hundredth time. "It was the only way to save...all of you."

Yato couldn't hear a thing. He stared at his upturned hands, once covered in blood red and shuddered violently. "You're...joking…" He squeezed his eyes shut and put his hands over his ears, but all he could think about was Hiyori. And maroon. "You've...got to be...fucking…" He let out an broken wail. He could feel the reality pressing down on him, but he kept his eyes shut. He could feel the truth whispering in his ear, but he refused to listen.

Kofuku touched his hand lightly. "Yato…"

"_Don't fucking touch me!"_

Kofuku flinched and drew her hand back, silent. She had gone through the same grief, and she knew it was something Yato had to do alone.

He drew in a shuddering breath and moaned. He pressed his hands against his head, harder, harder, hoping, _praying_, to _someone_ who could just…

_Promise me you won't run. You can't._

_You can't._

_Yato._

He gritted his teeth against the onslaught of memories. "Hi...yori…" He opened his eyes to stare wearily at the cat.

He got up abruptly, face overshadowed, and stormed out of the house. "Y-Yato!" Kofuku called after him, but he ignored them, continuing his limp to the gate.

His legs gave out under him, and he fell hard. "Fuck!" He cursed loudly. "You're kidding me! You're lying! Hiyori..._Hiyori's not fucking dead!" _ He slammed his fist down hard onto the stone, bruising his knuckles hard. "Ku…" He rose up again and saw his reflection in the ripples in the pond.

_How sad, the little cat that lost it's way._

"Shut up...shut...the _fuck up!"_ He cried hoarsely. He picked up a nearby rock and flung it at his reflection. _It should have been me, _he thought savagely. He picked up a nearby branch and threw it into the pond as well. _I should have been the one to die, _He kicked the nearby bonsai, ripping a branch off, blindly, frenziedly destroying everything around him. _I should've been there when…_

_When she needed me._

His fingers slowly dropped the branch and he gasped for air, all strength draining out of him.

"_I'm sorry, Yato."_

He gritted his teeth, but didn't explode.

"_It's okay."_

_It's not, Hiyori. _He thought wearily.

"_You're fine now."_

_I'm not fine. _He stood up and made his way back to the house, where Kofuku and Daikoku stood worriedly.

"_I'm glad."_

He tripped over himself and hit the nearby sakura tree. "Ah-" He noticed the red kanji under his fingers.

_**Gift.**_

He stood, paralyzed, staring at the word. Then up to the sky. Then down. He withdrew his hand and looked at it, the red that covered it, like the poison that had engulfed his body before Hiyori saved him. He closed it, forming a fist, droplets only now just starting to fall.. _Hiyori, you…_ His vision went blurry, and the blood on his hand smeared and fell away. _I…_

"_I'm sorry, Yato."_

_No…_

_I'm the one who's sorry, Hiyori._

* * *

At first, there was nothing but fire.

It spread rapidly, furiously, engulfing what was and what is. It blinded him, turning every little atom to dust, melting away the lines between real and unreal. There was nothing but pain, the flames rising high above him, burning away the sun and moon. heaven and hell, reducing him to the nothingness, the air he had come from-

"_Yato."_

He gasped, and found that he could breathe. He blinked, and found that he could see. He raised a hand to the fire, and saw that he was. That he is.

And then, the fire was gone.

"_Yato."_

He turned to the voice, but it was pitch black behind him. He tried to walk to it, but his feet wouldn't move. He called out to the voice:

"Hiyori?"

"_Yes."_

"Hiyori!" He desperately willed his body to move, but it stood still. "Hiyori, where are you?"

"_I see you really are better now. I'm glad."_

He clenched his fist. "Hiyori, what happened?"

"_It doesn't matter right now, Yato." _The voice was everywhere. _Hiyori_ was everywhere. She wrapped around him in a haze, danced above him in the smoldering embers, embraced the

darkness that surrounded him.

"_Listen to me, Yato. When you wake up, you won't see me anymore. I won't be there anymore. But it's okay, okay? You're not alone, really. You have so many friends now. You don't have to run anymore. Promise me you won't run. You can't. Promise. Don't worry about me, I'm fine now. You're fine now. It's okay, Yato, it''s okay."_

"Hiyori, what…" Yato could barely hear her over the static in his brain. "What...are you saying?"

The flames stirred at his feet. "_It's okay, Yato."_ They grew larger and larger. "_Ha...In the end, you never really did get to my wish…" _

Yato looked at the wall of flame in front of him. "What? H-Hiyori?" He took a step closer, finding his body was able to moved again, and reached out tentatively. "Ah!" He quickly withdrew his burned hand.

"_Yato, go."_

"No! What's that supposed to mean?" Yato stepped closer to the wall of fire. "What do you mean, 'In the end?' Hiyori!"

"_...Sorry, Yato."_

"For what?! Hiyori, what are you-"

"_Thank you."_

* * *

Yato stared intently at the cat. After he had realized they could bring Hiyori back by making her a shinki, he brightened up a lot. He rubbed his eyes a little. "So…" He turned excitedly to Kofuku. "When can we change her back?"

Kofuku smiled uneasily, feeling that she missed something. "Well, as soon as possible would be the best, but maybe we should wait a while…" She shifted uncomfortably on the porch step and looked at the cat worriedly.

Yato thought about it carefully. "Okay, but…" He glanced at Hiyori. "We should probably do it soon." He really only wanted to see Hiyori again.

Kofuku eyed Yato for a minute, then chuckled a little. "If you really want to that much, you can do it now."

Yato leaped up. "Really?! Alright then!" He raised a hand and pointed two fingers at the cat.

"_You, with nowhere to go and nowhere to return…" _He swung his arm, leaving a glowing trail behind. "_I grant you a place to belong. My name is Yato. Bearing a posthumous-" _He faltered, but took a deep breath. "_Bearing a posthumous name, you shall remain here. With this name, I make thee my servant. With this name and its alternate, I use my life to make thee a Regalia. Thou art…"_ He stopped and stared at the half-written kanji. "Thou art Hiyori." His voice shook. "As Regalia, Rin. Come, Rinki!"

The cat glowed brightly for a few seconds before the name appeared above it and it transformed into a beam of light, shooting up to the sky and zigzagging down back to Yato. There, it shone blindingly before changing into it's shinki form.

Kofuku's eyes widened. "That...That's Hiyori?"

Yato had a bracelet around his right wrist, and a small pair of glowing wings behind him. He carefully raised his arm and shook it, then jumped up and down. "W-Woah!" He shot a good 10 feet in the air and landed softly down. "O-Oh, I see…" He laughed _That's...just like you, Hiyori._ He grinned widely and stood up straight, calling her to human form.

Kofuku suddenly jolted upright. _What I missed…_ "Yato, wait!" Her eyes widened and her blood ran cold as Hiyori-_Hiyori_- floated into the courtyard. She stared at her, awestruck, until she realized "Y-Yato!" He waved her off. Kofuku backed away slowly, tripping over herself and slamming down hard onto the ground. _Hiyori...doesn't…_

Yato couldn't make a sound, but just stare at Hiyori. "Hiyori...I…" He raised a hand, but stopped. "I'm so sorry." He bowed slightly.

Hiyori looked around confusedly before focusing on Yato. "Ah...Are you my master?" She tilted her head inquiringly.

Yato's eyes widened and his head shot up. "Hiyori you-" He grabbed her shoulders. "Hiyori it's-"

_Hiyori doesn't remember you._

Yato backed away slowly. "Me…"

He bumped into Kofuku, who had gotten up to stand by him. She looked at Yato through her bangs. "I'm sorry Yato, but you need to finish."

He nodded numbly. "I...I've summoned you from the Far Shore to serve as my Regalia. I permit you to serve and remain at my side longer than kin." His own voice sounded far away, not to mention Hiyori's reply. All of a sudden, he couldn't feel a thing.

Kofuku put a hand on his shoulder and smiled wearily. "I'm Kofuku, Hiyori. Would you like to come in? We'll get you changed…" Kofuku gently led Hiyori away, leaving Yato standing there.

Yato duly heard the door close behind him before walking to the koi pond.

_How sad, the little cat that lost it's way._

Yato gritted his teeth and stared at the dying sun. "Hiyori, I promise…"

_I'll definitely find you and bring you back, no matter what._

* * *

y2k here! My god, I am so sorry for the super late update, everyone! I had to get over the 2 week syndrome, AND school was ending, AND this chapter was a bitch to write AND yes, yes I did end up flipping my table and crying in a corner for an hour qwq.

Even now, I'm not all too 100% happy with the chapter, so if anyone has any comments, questions, suggestions, just leave me a review!

Just a little clarification, if needed, in the end, the little thingy with Hiyori and the fire was Yato's dream in the beginning. If you go back and read it again, you can see a lot of things from the previous chapter and the dream were used :)

Anyways, I think that's it for now, hope you all enjoy the chapter! ^^

Noragami does not belong to me


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